3D printing is making waves in a number of areas, in this series we delve into the most colourful new developments in the world of 3D printing; first exploring its application in a current political and architectural conundrum and its ability to restore one of the world’s most striking natural treasures.

“Under the proposals, announced in detail at the North American Annual Symposium for Construction (NAASC), fleets of hundreds of autonomous 3D printing robots will build the 20 metre-high, 1000 mile long wall in-situ, at an expected rate of around 10 metres per day.

Featuring specially developed multi-material printing heads, the robots – jointly developed by a US/Russian consortium – are able to simultaneously deposit liquid concrete as well as the wall’s metallic supporting structures (expected to made from a gold alloy).

The systems will use solar panels to harvest energy from the sun providing enough electricity to fuel them throughout the day and to charge batteries to enable 24-hour operation. It’s envisaged that the devices will serviced by autonomous flying drones that will deliver the feedstock for the 3D printing systems.

Once construction of the site is complete the devices will be equipped with motion sensors and machine guns and repurposed as border guards.”

Some critics argue that such technology does not yet exist - fully-automated, weapon-wielding, 3D wall-printing robots do seem like something out of a Sci-Fi film,but we are yet to see if the infamous wall will materialise and if Trump and his administration will utilise 3D printing technology to complete it.

The hostile conditions of the reef have led to extensive coral bleaching - involving the loss of endosymbiotic algae from the coral. As a result, the once gorgeous technicoloured reef has become grey and dull, losing it’s magic and lustre and threatening the wildlife that lives there.

Dr. Renate Ferrari and Will Figueira, from the University of Sydney, are employing virtual 3D modelling and 3D printing to assess to create 3D-printed replicas of the reef’s coral, which will help support and protect the reef and its diverse wildlife. Their technology helps to accurately map the areas of the reef that is most adversely affected, so that they can employ their technology where it is most needed. The 3D printed coral reefs are being developed using material from the reef’s themselves - effectively recreating the reef.